Many utility poles are set in open areas that are fully accessible by large motor vehicles. These poles are typically transported by a truck and set utilizing a derrick-mounted boom on the truck. However, the sites for many utility poles, for example light or prop poles in residential settings, are inaccessible to motor vehicles. According to time-honored practices, these poles are usually manually carried from the road to the setting site by a crew of six or more workmen. On some occasions, the poles may be dragged and winched, still requiring a large crew. Following transport, the pole is manually set in its hole by the same crew.
A large percentage of hand transport and hand setting operations result in back strain to at least one crew member. The medical costs to treat these injuries, coupled with the costs of crew members' recuperation periods, exact a high toll on utility companies.
In an effort to address the above problems, various mechanical and hydraulic systems have been proposed to assist in the transport and setting of utility poles in inaccessible locations. Representative systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,174,950; 1,317,816; 1,470,377; 2,281,713; and 3,112,037. These systems have the common disadvantage of being overly complex and too cumbersome.
There is a need for a relatively simple, lightweight and easily maneuverable system to assist in transporting and setting utility poles in inaccessible locations. Preferably, such a system would reduce worker injuries, transport poles without property damage, be small enough to go through a thirty-six-inch gate, traverse uneven terrain, and require no more than two to three workers to operate.